Automatic musical instrument.



r. w, GUNTON. vAUTOMATIC*MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

PPLIOTION FILED APLZ, 1909. 4

' n Patented Deng?, 1910.1

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' UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

FRANK XVILLIAM GUNTON, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE WILCOX & WHITE I COMPANY, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK WILLTAM GUN- Ton, a subject of the King of England, residing at London, in England, vh ave invented certain 'new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Automatic Musical Instruments, of which the following is ak specification.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic musical instrunients and has particular' reference to the action of a grand piano' having` the automatic mechanism embodied within the ease of the instrument.

In an ordinary grand piano, the hammer action is directly operated hy the keys. Each key is poised on a balance rail; the liront of the key lies in the key-board and the rear end or" each key carries or operates the lever or hopper, check and damper of the hammer action. Each key at the key-board has a certain range of movement which gives rise to the necessary movement of the ham? mer action and when the piano is to be operated automatically, it is desirable that the striker of the automatic mechanism should. impartA the same range of movement to the hammer action as the ordinary manual key. It is also desirable that the automatic mechanism should ybe disposed above the keys and behind the key-board. The cstriker ot' the automatic mechanism cane not `therefore conveniently be arranged to engage directly with the manual key to accomplish the desired result.

@ne of the chief features of this invention I is the employment in a piano having automatic l'ilaying mechanism of auxiliarykeys or levers actuated by the automatic mechanism and also actuated by the manual key. Thus in a grand piano' having automatic or mechanical mechanism above the keys and behind the key-board, there maybe an auxiliary key or lever actuated by said mechanical mechanism and pivoted to the rear of the balance-rail. Inasmuch as it is desirable that the manual keys shall remain at rest during` automatic playing, the auxiliary is loosely connected at its end (inside of the pivot point) With the manual key. y

Other features of this inventiouvvill be evident from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which illustrates by Way of example one method of arranging 'automatic playing Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 2, 1909. Serial No. 487,498.

Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

mechanism fora grand piano ,in accordance tvith this invention, the figures showing the side elevation of one manual key, a corresponding auxiliary key and hammer action. The automatic mechanism which may for .example consist of a pneumatic piano player is disposed 'Within the case of the instrument just behind the key-board and above the keys. X conventionally represents a portion of the case ot said player. The manual keys, auxiliary keys and act-ions are similar in arrangement.

Referring to the drawing A is the kevframe of the grand action and B a manual key poised on a balance-rail B in the usual manner. At a short distance to the rear of the balance-rail and above the keys is a suitable transverse'rail C supporting` the auxiliary keys such as D. For this purpose the .rail C carries butts such as C to which the key D is pivoted as at D. The auxiliary key D operates a hammer action E which may be of the term' shown or of any other suitable type, the particular hammer action used forming; no part of the present invention. The frontend of the auxiliary key is so arranged as 'to be depressed by the mechanical mechanism, as for example by the striker F of said mechanism. The auxiliary key D is pivoted at D behind the balance-rail B in such a Way that its action upon hammer mechanism E Will be substantially the same whether actuated by the striker F or by the manual key. A balance spring D2 is preferably provided, said spring;` being connected at one end to the butt C and at the other end to the key D as by means of a loop D. The rear end of thc manual key ,docs not directly operate the hammer action but acts 'indirectly through the auxiliary key. Pivoted to the rear end ol the key B is a member B2 having a screw B3 on which works an adjusting;l nut B4. The screw enters a slot D4 in the key D and by laltering` the position of the nut Il* on the screw B3 the auxiliary and manual keys can be relatively adjusted. Any other suitable connection may be employed between the manual and auxiliary keys. The manual key is shorter than usual at the rear end and the proper balance ofthe key is secured. by the use of a spring B arranged as shown.

It is to be understood that the details of arrangement and construction may be varied Without departing from this invention.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. In a grand piano having automatic playing mechanism, a hammer action, a manual key for operating said action, a pivot therefor arranged intermediate its length, an auxiliary key, a pivot therefor arranged intermediate its length, the pivot of the`auxiliary key being arranged to the rear of the pivot of the manual key, the inner end of the manual key making yoperative connection with the auxiliary key adjacent the extreme inner end of the latter, whereby both of said keys may impart the same range of movement to said hammer action.

2. In a grand piano having automatic playing mechanism, a hammer action, a manual key for operating said action, a pivot therefor arranged intermediate its length, an auxiliary key, a pivot therefor arranged intermediate its length, the pivot of the auxiliary key being arranged to the rear of the pivot of the manual key, the inner end of the manual key making operative connection with the auxiliary key adjacent the extreme inner end of the latter, whereby both of said keys may impart the same range of movement to said hammer action, and adjustable means interposed between the cooperating portions of said keys.

3. In a grand piano, a hammer action, a pivoted key lever for both automatic and manual operation of said action, a pivot vtheretor intermediate its length, a second key lever for manual operation pivoted ndependently of the lirst and` at a point in 40 front of the pivot of the former, Contactin means between the extreme rear ends o both levers, whereby a movement of the second lever will impart operative movement to the first mentioned lever and wherepivoted key lever for .both automat-ic and manual operation of said action, a pivot therefor intermediate its length, a second key lever for manual operation pivoted in-A dependently of the first for manual operation and at a point in front of the pivot of the former, a connection between the rear ends of both levers whereby a movement of the second lever will impart operative movement to the first mentioned lever and Whereby movement of the first mentioned lever D may be independent of the second mentioned lever and means for holding the second mentioned lever in a position of rest during the movement of the lirst mentioned lever.

In testimony whereof I have signed myl name to this specification in the presence of tivo subscribing witnesses.

FRANK WILLIAM GUNTON Vitnesses:

PERCY WV. F. HIGGINSON, H. D. JAMESON. 

